SMS tickets for customer service is a system that lets customers initiate and manage support requests via text message. Each message creates a ticket in a customer service platform, allowing teams to track, prioritize, and respond to issues efficiently—all through a channel customers use every day.

Dale Carnegie is best known for the book “How to Make Friends and Influence People.” Leaders like Warren Buffet swear by it, and the book has sold over 30 million copies. 

One of the core lessons of the book is the importance of “seeking common ground.” The idea here is that if you begin on bad terms with someone, you’ll never be able to recover and risk losing all credibility.

The same idea applies to your customer service strategy. If you begin by communicating with someone on a channel they don’t like, you’re already placing yourself at a disadvantage when it comes to appeasing customers.

You’ve been there. Your phone rings, and you sigh in annoyance. It’s a customer service agent, and they’re calling you about an issue. You’re in the middle of dinner. Don’t answer it, and your ticket remains open. Answer it, and your meal goes cold. SMS ticketing can help avoid these scenarios and ensure businesses address concerns in a way that is convenient for customers.

That’s no way to “make friends and influence people.” If you don’t want your customers to experience this, then you need an SMS ticketing system. In this article, we cover:

Why use SMS ticketing software?

It’s not groundbreaking to suggest that customers don’t want long hold times, slow responses, and confusing email threads. Yet, this is what they experience on a near-daily basis. SMS ticketing solves these issues.

We get it—old habits die hard. But when it comes to customer service, sticking with the status quo can hold you back. Consumers today expect fast, convenient, and personal support—and SMS ticks all those boxes. Using SMS tickets for customer service meets customers where they already are: on their phones. It’s an easy way to improve response times, boost satisfaction, and stand out in a crowded market. If you’re not sure where to start innovating, just look at how your customers are communicating. That’s where your investment should go.

• Customizable SMS for Queue Management
  Ability to tailor SMS messages to fit specific business needs and branding for more personalized customer interactions.

• Secure and Reduce Lost Tickets
  Enhanced security features that minimize the risk of lost tickets compared to traditional paper-based systems.

• Intergenerational Method for Queueing
  A versatile queueing system that caters to all age groups, ensuring accessibility and ease of use for a diverse customer base.

• Live Notifications for Customers
  Real-time updates sent to customers about their position in the queue and estimated waiting times, improving overall customer satisfaction.

• Process for Customers to Join a Queue Using SMS Ticketing
  Question: What is the step-by-step process for customers to join a queue using SMS Ticketing?
  Answer: Customers send an SMS to a specific number at the store, receive a text back with a ticket number and waiting time, and are notified via SMS when it’s their turn.

• Benefits of Using SMS Ticketing Compared to Traditional Methods
  Question: What are the advantages of implementing SMS Ticketing over conventional queue management systems?
  Answer: SMS Ticketing offers customizable messaging, enhanced security with fewer lost tickets, an intergenerational approach to queuing, live customer notifications, and a stress-reducing modernized queue system for both customers and staff.

Source: Pew Research Center

Cell Phone ownership in the US is close to 100% across nearly all demographics. Now take a look at consumer’s preferred customer service channels––text messaging is number one in the US by a significant margin.

Source: Twilio

What becomes overwhelmingly evident from these two charts is how ubiquitous cellphone ownership is and how comfortable consumers are texting businesses. Customers want you to use SMS for customer support. There are even more benefits to consider:

• Unlike live support, you don’t have to be glued to your phone and re-explain the issue. That means no more rude interruptions.
• It’s immediate and fast. 97% of text messages are opened, and 90 percent of those are read within less than three minutes of being received.
• It’s convenient for your employees as they can message multiple customers at once.

If you want to take advantage of the overwhelming benefits and your customers’ preferences, here’s how to implement an SMS ticketing software.

How to implement an SMS ticketing system from scratch

Two-way text messaging can offer you a new way to quickly and efficiently resolve customer service issues while still providing a human touch. You can get started with SMS tickets in three easy steps:

1. Choose your customer support number for SMS

After upgrading your SimpleTexting plan, you have choices when it comes to your virtual SMS number: 

1. You can use a new local or toll-free number (just be sure to have any local number you use registered).
2. It’s also possible to text-enable your current landline phone number or a VoIP line. Text-enabling your landline or existing phone number will not impact your voice service in any way.
3. You can lease a dedicated short code for your business. Learn a little more about dedicated short codes here.

Note: If you choose a toll-free number, know that carriers are currently imposing limits on toll-free number traffic and that those limits will increase until you submit your verification form. Make sure to get your toll-free number verified to avoid disruptions.

If you want to “try before you buy,” you can take our sms platform for a spin and create a free trial account. No credit card is required to sign up.

2. Advertise your new customer service text channel

The next step is to promote your text-enabled number on your website, social media, or in your physical locations. Our click-to-text button generator is a great way to encourage customers to contact you via SMS. Take a look at how it works:

3. Respond from your inbox or the mobile texting app

Once you receive an SMS ticket from a customer in your shared inbox, you can prioritize conversations by time waiting or most recently received. You can also:

• Set an away message and respond automatically to out-of-hours texts
• Leave private notes for your team
• Respond immediately
• Snooze a conversation for a set period
• Mark conversations as resolved
• Use a template
• Schedule a response for a later date
• Manage your customer support text messages from your cellphone with our mobile app

Here’s an excellent resource for learning more about SMS tickets for customer service and support.

How to integrate SMS with your existing ticketing software

If you already have an existing customer service ticketing system like Zendesk or LiveAgent and want to layer in SMS, then we recommend you use our Zapier integration.

This connection means that processes and tasks happen on your behalf behind the scenes. There’s nothing you have to do to keep up with or remember them. All you need are Zaps—Zapier’s automated workflows—that support your workflows.

To illustrate how you can do this, we’re going to use Zendesk as an example customer service platform. You could connect any customer service platform that has a Zapier integration. (To create this workflow, you’ll need a Zapier account too.)

When someone sends a customer support query via text message, you can trigger the creation of a ticket in Zendesk. 

You can also trigger a text message to go out when a new action on a ticket in Zendesk occurs.

It’s no secret to anyone that businesses build their reputations and bottom lines on providing personalized service. A great way to bolster your efforts there is to incorporate text-based customer service into your channel offering. It’s fast, cheap, and highly popular with customers. And as you can see from the above, it’s easy to implement.

The post What is SMS ticketing and how to implement it appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

Your restaurant can also set up its own text ordering system. It’s not nearly as tricky as you might think, and there are some distinct advantages to allowing your regular customers to text their orders for pick-up or delivery directly to your business. Restaurants can also use texting platforms to create their own SMS reservations systems.

If you think that SMS ordering software is only for large chains with deep pockets, we’re here to tell you otherwise. It’s affordable and easy to implement, with our plans starting at $29/month.

Here are two ways you can implement a straightforward SMS ordering system, as well as how to get started.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Benefits of Using SMS For Order And Delivery Notifications
• 1. Send Customers a Link to Place an Online Order
• 2. Ask Customers to Text in Their Orders

Why use your own SMS text-to-order system?

I could go on and on about why texting is the best way to talk to your customers, but these are the major benefits of sending your order and delivery updates through SMS.

1. No third-party fees: Many of the popular platforms charge as much as 15% to 30% of an order as commission. That’s a pretty steep fee when you consider how tight margins already are in the restaurant business. While being on these platforms can increase visibility, giving loyal customers a more direct text-to-order option means you keep more of what you charge.
2. It’s fast. Texting is an instant communication channel for both you and your customers. The data says that 90% of texts are read within three minutes, and they only take seconds for you to send (especially if you use templates), so customers get the information they need with no delay.
3. It’s visible. Adding to the fast response times, texts come with a 98% open rate, and they don’t get lost in spam or junk inboxes like emails can. Think about how quickly you look at the notifications on your phone. Your customers will do the same, so SMS helps you cut through the noise to get important details to your contacts. That includes order updates and food delivery notifications.
4. It makes two-way conversations easy. Customers no longer need to wait on hold or expect an email back in 3-5 business days. With texting, you can send and receive messages to resolve customer service issues or answer questions within minutes.
5. Keep customer data: When a customer orders through DoorDash or UberEats, those companies are the ones who collect the data on your customers. But with your own text ordering system, you have access to it instead. You can use that data to help personalize customer experiences, including your own loyalty or rewards program.

1. Send customers a link to place an online order

The simplest way to set up an SMS ordering system is to ask customers to text in a keyword to receive an automated message with a link to order online (a keyword is a word, phrase, or other combination of numbers and letters that allows people to receive an SMS from you).

If you don’t already use an online ordering solution, you can implement one like OrderStack. It integrates directly into your existing website and doesn’t take any commission on food and drink orders. 

For e-commerce, platforms like Shopify can fill this gap.

The next step is to promote your SMS ordering system by advertising your keyword in your restaurant or on your social media channels. Promotion is even more critical if you use text-to-order for takeout customers.

If you want customers to order by text, you can ask them to text in your keyword.

In the SimpleTexting platform, it only takes a few minutes to set up a keyword and an automated response. 

The first step is to create a keyword by selecting Keywords from the left-hand panel.

Next, click on the blue button labeled “New keyword.”

The keyword in the example below is “CURRYHOUSE,” and it’s what customers will text to your number to receive the online ordering link. 

You can update the automated confirmation message depending on whether you’re using it for dine-in customers, takeaway customers, or e-commerce customers. We recommend that you shorten any URLs with our URL shortener.

You can then follow the steps in this article to text your customers when their food is ready and/or keep them informed of their order details and status. 

An added benefit here is that you collect phone numbers that you can market to in the future with promotions and specials to grow your business. Check out how Barn Bowl & Bistro uses text messages for real-time marketing.

This video explains how to set up a keyword in more detail.

2. Ask customers to text in their orders

You can also ask customers to text you their orders so you can input them into your Point of Sale (POS) system. 

You can even add texting functionality to your existing number so that you and your customers don’t have to learn a new one. In this case, calls go through as usual, and text messages go straight to the SimpleTexting platform.

Alternatively, all SimpleTexting accounts also come with a text-enabled local number if you’d rather use a separate number for your text messages.

Remember, you’ll want to start by letting customers know about your text-to-order system. You can do this by adding a Click-to-Text Button to your website with a call to action like “Order Now.”

The best part is that when someone clicks the button, it opens their native messaging app with a prewritten message and your phone number pre-populated. (Here’s how to add a Click-to-Text button to your website.)

The prewritten message could–for example–request your menu or a specific product. You could then send people a link to a PDF. (Here’s an article that explains how to send a PDF via an SMS message.)

Once people know what they want, they can text their full order to your SimpleTexting inbox, and you can record it in your system.

Alternatively, you can advertise your SMS ordering system in your restaurant, on your menu, or on your website or social media.

It’s worth noting that the SimpleTexting inbox lets you prioritize conversations, make notes, and set up templates so that you never have to write the same message twice. 

The latter is handy for sending order updates and delivery process SMS notifications. If you’re dealing with a large volume of orders, you can also use it for customer service questions.

In this two-minute video, we cover the basics of how the inbox works:

Text ordering for other types of local businesses

It's not just restaurants that can benefit from SMS ordering systems. Giving your customers the opportunity to place orders via text message can create new connections and opportunities for other businesses too. Here are a few examples...

Enable service requests over text

Service-based businesses can get in on text orders, too. Since ordering services can involve so many custom details, texting offers a great alternative for customers who’d rather not call.

Bates Electric, an electrical contracting business, improves its scheduling process by offering an SMS option. COO Andrew Bates walked me through each step.

It all starts when a customer sends a text with basic details about the service, such as “need a new ceiling fan installed.” Bates Electric will respond to confirm the request and ask for any extra details it needs.

Once the customer confirms their appointment time, they get a text confirming the appointment, introducing the tech involved, and sharing a link to track their arrival. Bates Electric will also send appointment reminders with the option to reply YES to confirm.

If you try this process, you can use your own CRM, field service software, or whatever app you use to organize your work to keep your customers in the loop. Using one of our integration partners, you could automatically send such a text when you schedule an appointment.

After the tech finishes the job, Bates Electric sends a text to ask for feedback with a simple rating that let's them know if the customer was satisfied. If not, they can follow up to find out more and address the situation.

Develop custom products through an SMS conversation

Like services, customizable products have quite a few variables that are easier to work out over a conversation. You can have this conversation over text to capture those important details while letting your customers get back to you on their time.

At Ninja Transfers, customers can text to order their custom-designed heat transfer decals. Head of Marketing Tom Golubovich explained to me how it works. Throughout the process, the customer texts specific words to trigger the next step of ordering.

After texting the type of product they want, the customer gets a prompt to describe their design.

When Ninja Transfers finishes the initial design, it sends a link to the mockup over text. The customer can then text APPROVE to move forward with it.

Offer exclusive pre-orders for out-of-stock items

When your customers want one of your out-of-stock products, texting is the perfect way to give them a heads-up. You can send a text to a list when it comes back in stock so interested subscribers can order right away.

Founder and CEO Roman Zrazhevskiy uses this tactic at MIRA Safety, a preparedness equipment supplier. Customers can sign up for a restock list on the company’s website to get notifications within minutes of a product restocking.

These SMS messages have an exclusive pre-order link that lets subscribers buy before the general public, offering a reward for their loyalty.

“This method is all about making loyal customers feel valued and appreciated,” Roman says. “Offering exclusive early access shows them their time and interest matter, which keeps them excited and connected to our brand. It’s a way of rewarding their loyalty while building trust and creating that special ‘VIP’ feeling.”

You could get more specific with this approach by making a keyword for each of your products and having customers sign up for product-specific lists. When a product is back in stock, you could use one of our integration partners to trigger an automatic text with a link to the restocked product.

Make reordering possible with SMS

SMS can also make it easier for your customers to reorder their favorite products. Send a text around the time they would need to stock back up with a link to buy the product again.

Bully Max, a pet nutrition company, sends SMS reminders to order again when their pet food is about to run out. CMO Maris Laatre shared an example of a text customers could receive:

Sports equipment supplier MoreSports uses keywords to manage its reorders. According to CEO Peter Elliott, customers can text a keyword with a product number to get reminders to reorder. When they get one of those reminders, they can then text YES to confirm or adjust their order.

Use a QR code for text ordering

You can combine this last method with any of the ones above to save your customers even more time when ordering. SMS QR code generators let you create a QR code that pre-populates a message with your number and keyword so customers only need to scan and send. Then, you can place this QR code in prime spots like:

• Your dining menu
• Your product catalog
• Mail flyers
• In-store flyers and posters
• Ecommerce package inserts
• Product tags and labels

Using the QR code, your customers can order or reorder the product or service related to it. This blog post goes over the entire process of creating an SMS QR code so you can try it yourself.

How do I get started with SMS ordering software?

SimpleTexting has the tools you need to try the tactics in this blog post. The first step is to start your 14-day free trial today to see how simple texting your audience can be. We don’t ask for a credit card when you sign up, so you can try all of our features pressure-free.

We’re here seven days a week to answer questions and guide you to the right SMS strategy for your business. Call us at (866) 259-1887 or chat with us using the icon in the corner of your screen when you need us.

The post How to set up a DIY text ordering system appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

In 2024, a very late Thanksgiving means the holiday shopping and shipping window is a little shorter than usual. If you run a small business that’s shipping out holiday orders, it pays to communicate clearly and honestlyーeven if you’ve got bad news to share. Failing to do so can drive customers away and damage your reputation.

Accurate shipping deadlines are the backbone of great customer communication during the holidays. Let your customers know exactly when to expect their orders and give consistent updates if something changes. Let’s take a closer look at how you can use transactional SMS to improve customer communications over the holidays.

Why you must communicate holiday shipping deadlines

If your small business runs on quality customer service, setting expectationsーand meeting themー is essential. The challenge is, thanks to two-day shipping from big companies like Amazon, many consumers expectations for order fulfillment are high. You may not be able to produce, pack, ship, and deliver as fast as the biggest companies in the world. However, you offer something people want. And if it’s worth waiting for, clear communication about holiday shipping will go a long way.

68% of consumers say they would pay more for products or services from a brand with great customer service. No one wants to deal with a bunch of angry “Where’s my order?” messages during the most hectic season of the year.

All this to say, you’ll need to keep the deadlines on your website and holiday marketing channels up to date.

Four ways to communicate holiday shipping information

Setting clear expectations for your holiday shipping is simple. All it takes is three easy steps over the whole holiday season. Let’s dive in:

1. Update shipping times and methods on your website

While transactional SMS messages are an effective way to remind customers about your holiday shipping deadlines, it’s also wise to let people know before they make a purchase from you. If you run an online store, the best place to do that is right on your ecommerce website.

Look at where you mention your shipping methods and deadlines on your website. Make sure you update those spots to reflect the upcoming busy season. Most ecommerce sites feature their shipping options (including both types and timelines) on product pages or on the shipping section of their checkout process.

You can use a simple table like this one:

This little graph gives clear deadlines for those who want to receive their order by Christmas Eve. It also helps customers choose the best shipping option for their schedule. Best practice here is to note ahead of time that the new deadlines are specifically for the holiday season. This will keep customers from confusing your holiday shipping times with regular shipping times.

You can also communicate holiday shipping deadlines with in-app notifications or during in a visible location of the shopping cart. That’s especially important if you offer various types of shipping options with different delivery times.

Another helpful idea for using website would be to add a homepage banner or a pop-up that notifies visitors how long they have if they want to be sure orders arrive in time for the holidays.

Here’s how Target did it on a holiday graphic that’s a bit busy if you ask us. If you’re not paying attention, you might miss the ornament with dates defining shipping deadlines amongst all the products, discounts, and promotional copy. How could your small business website make a message like this harder to miss?

2. Send proactive text messages about holiday shipping dates

Deadlines for holiday shipping are important enough to warrant their own dedicated message to your customers. Consider sending a text to your customers to let them know exactly when the cutoff is for getting orders delivered in time. You can also provide other options such as expedited shipping or the chance to pick up a package in person.

3. Mention shipping deadlines in SMS holiday promotions

Because shipping deadlines can also create a fear of missing out (FOMO) they’re also worth including in SMS marketing campaigns over the holidays. They’re helpful, and they could help boost holiday sales. Pair up the deadline with discount codes you deliver to your SMS subscribers.

Just three days left to use code XMAS2024 and save 20% in our online store.Orders placed after 12/18 may be delivered after Dec 24. Shop now [link] Txt STOP to unsubscribe.

4. Include delivery times in SMS order confirmations and thank you messages

Order confirmation texts are one of the most common types of transactional SMS communications. New research from Sinch found that more than 94% of consumers view transactional messages like order confirmations as important to their customer experience during the holidays. Plus, more than 75% if consumers expect to receive those confirmations in less than five minutes. The speed and reliability of SMS makes texting the perfect way to deliver those messages.

Your order confirmation or thank you message could also confirm whether delivery can be expected in time for whatever holiday the customer is celebrating. In addition to order confirmations, shipping update messages can bring peace of mind to stressed out holiday shoppers. Let them know when their order has shipped and when it’s out for delivery. If possible. you can even text customers when it arrives on their doorstep.

There are also local businesses that use SMS communications for more personal one-to-one communications with their customers. While automation is awesome, you can use the SimpleTexting platform to manually send specific updates directly to customers about their orders or any delays they can expect. What better way to add a human touch this holiday season?

The final word on holiday shipping messages

Customers keep coming back to brands they trust. Trust is built through accurate, constant communication. 

If you do your best to be clear about shipping deadlinesーespecially during a busy season like the holidaysーyou’ll stand out among other brands that fall short on that point.

Need an easy way to communicate holiday shipping messages to your customers? Try SimpleTexting totally free for 14 days.

The post How to use SMS to communicate holiday shipping deadlines appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

Let’s face it: No one likes seeing a ton of replies in a group text  — especially when you’re sending group texts as a business.

Group texts with a reply all function quickly get both confusing and irritating. As the person who handles communications in your small business, you need a more organized way to get in touch with some or all of your contacts at once. 

There are many reasons why you may want to send texts individually in a group texting app for business. Maybe you need to:

• Share promotional messages with customers
• Send important announcements to employees
• Push out questions to the group, but get the replies privately

When people learn about SimpleTexting’s mass texting service, the most common question we get is, “If someone replies, will it go to the whole group?”

You’ll be glad to hear that the answer is “no.”

If you’re a business or organization that wants to text large groups at once without the ability to reply to all or create a giant thread, we have the group texting solution for you. Try SimpleTexting’s free group texting app for 14 days to see if our one-way group text messaging is right for you.

Let’s get into the ins and outs of group texting without reply all.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What Is One Way Group Text Messaging?
• What Is a Group Text App?
• How Does a Group Text App Without Reply All Work?
• What Functionality Makes for the Best Group Text App?
• What Is the Best Group Text App Without Reply All?
• How to Send a Group Text Individually Without Showing All Recipients
• No Reply Text Message Examples
• Group texting app FAQs
• Avoid awkward reply alls with a group text app
• Examples of One Way Text Messaging
• Benefits of One Way Text Messaging

What is one-way group text messaging?

One-way group text messaging is a feature that lets your business or organization send a text message to a large group of contacts while preventing the recipients from replying to the entire group.

By nature, a group message on a personal device creates one large thread, meaning everyone can see all the messages sent and received.

This can be great if you’re looking to chat with a group without starting a busy email thread.

However, SMS software and texting apps offer you the option of one-way group messaging. Only the sender can send messages to the group, like a BCC text message. 

Why should you use one-way group text messaging for business? 

• Nobody other than the sender can see the other recipients’ names or phone numbers.
• You can text big groups at once with the same feel as a personalized, one-on-one chat.
• It’s the best solution for you if you simply don’t want a “reply all” option when sending group messages.

What if you don’t want your contacts to reply to you?

If you’re looking for a way to send texts that contacts can’t reply to you, you’ll need a texting software that only sends out mass texts.

Those do have drawbacks — if you decide to use two-way texting in the future, you’d need to sign up for a separate texting service. 

So, you’re best to sign up for a platform that features both mass texting and two-way texting and add a “Don’t reply to this text” note at the end of your messages along with the way you prefer contacts to reach you.

What is a group text app?

A group text app is software that allows a party to send a message to multiple contacts at once.

Group text apps for business often include options for automation, narrowing down your audience, and other tools to make sending group messages easier. For example, SimpleTexting is business texting software that will send one-way group texts. Plus, you can use our platform’s features to have two-way conversations with individual group members.

How does a group text app without reply all work?

Group text apps without reply all work by connecting the sender to the recipients via the internet as opposed to a mobile phone. These platforms are also known as broadcast text apps or one way group text messaging.

But first, you’ll need the help of text marketing software — like SimpleTexting. Services like ours give you one-way messaging power (and the ability for contacts to message you back directly). We’ll even set you up with a dedicated phone number or help you text-enable your current one.

Keep your no-reply group texts compliant

The only caveat is that your contacts have to give you express written consent to send them a group text.

Express written consent is an industry term meaning they give you permission to send them texts by either texting in a keyword, filling out a form, or checking some kind of box.

Send your group text message

When you’re ready to send a message, you simply write it, pick the list you want to send it to, and you’re done. The message is sent to your whole group at once but appears to each contact as if you only sent it to them.

This is a pretty simple process:

• Create a campaign.
• Choose the list you’ll send your group text message to.
• Monitor your analytics to see how your text performed.

Don’t worry — we’ll get much more in-depth shortly.

Reply to individuals

If someone decides to reply, their message goes directly into your Inbox where you can respond, snooze, resolve, or leave notes on the conversation.

Here’s what the Inbox looks like in our one-way group text messaging app:

Recommended reading: How to Start, Plan, and Send Text Marketing Campaigns

What functionality makes for the best group text app?

These are the top five features to look for in the best group text apps:

1. One-way group text messaging
2. Two-way 1:1 text messaging
3. Message automation
4. Contact management features
5. Contact segments

One-way group text messaging

This is an obvious one, but it bears mentioning. Make sure the platform you choose offers one-way group text messaging to get texts out to your audience without worrying about reply-alls.

These can also be called campaigns, mass texts, or bulk texts.

Two-way 1:1 text messaging

Of course, you don’t want to limit yourself to just one-way group texts. Pick a platform that offers two-way 1:1 text messaging, too. This means you can have conversations with an individual through multiple texts.

That way, if you ever decide to pivot to more individual interactions or simply want to let contacts reply to your group messages, you can make the switch easily.

Text message automation

If you wear a lot of communication-related hats at your company, you probably have a full plate of tasks and responsibilities. Being able to schedule your group messages to send automatically can give you a lot of your valuable time back.

Whether it’s autoresponders, basic scheduling, or integrations, automation is an important functionality to have.

Contact management features

Good contact management options will help you organize your subscribers and make sure messages get to the right lists.

Look for software that lets you easily add, delete, filter, sort, and merge your contact lists. That way, you can make small adjustments rather than having to start over every time a detail changes.

Contact segments

Make sure your subscribers never get a message they aren’t interested in by creating customized segments for different groups of your contacts.

Use these segments to send personalized messages based on contacts’ interests, location, job title, or any other relevant details they’ve shared.

What is the best group text app without reply all?

When looking at the one-way group text messaging platforms on the market, SimpleTexting stands out as the best.

This is mostly because it offers:

• Cost-effective SMS marketing and communications
• Two-way messaging and mass texting in one platform
• An award-winning support team
• User-friendly features

Learn more about SimpleTexting’s group texting app without reply all, or go ahead and sign up for our group texting app’s free trial.

How to send a group text individually without showing all recipients with SimpleTexting

After you choose your group text app, you’ll choose your business texting number and gather opt-in phone numbers. Then you can send a group text without reply all in three steps.

 How to send a one-way text message to a group:

1. Create your campaign
2. Choose your list (and send!)
3. Track your performance

Step 1: Create your campaign

First things first: You’ll need to set up your one-way text message. Although this looks a little different on every SMS platform, you can do this in just a few clicks in SimpleTexting.

Head to the Campaigns tab on the left side of your dashboard. Name your campaign and write out your message.

Step 2: Choose your list

Next, decide which of your contact lists will receive your message and select them from the dropdown menu. You can pick one list or multiple, depending on your message.

Step 3: Track your performance 

To make sure your messages improve and become more effective over time, check out your analytics page for metrics like:

• Your open rate
• How many contacts unsubscribed after your message
• How many people clicked on any links you sent
• Your message delivery success rate.

These will tell you how to tweak future messages to encourage engagement and maximize your results.

Here’s a video that covers the basics of how to send out a one-way group message:

No-reply text message examples

Still not sure where to start? Take these no-reply text message examples to use in your one SMS strategy.

1. No-reply text example for healthcare

2. No-reply text example for insurance

3. No-reply text example for real estate

4. No-reply text example for e-commerce

5. No-reply text example for churches

6. No-reply text example for schools

7. No-reply text example for fitness centers

8. No-reply text example for car dealerships

9. No-reply text example for radio stations

10. No-reply text example for human resources

Group texting app FAQs

Still got a few questions about group texting apps? We've got you covered.

Avoid awkward reply-alls with a group text app

Let’s face it, not only are reply-alls often unnecessary, but they’re also inconvenient. Instead of scrolling through long threads of information that nobody can catch up with, sign up for a group texting app like SimpleTexting.

The best part is, it’s completely risk-free! Join us for a 14-day free trial, no credit card information required.

This blog post was originally published September 17, 2020. It was updated March 2023 and most recently on June 27, 2023. Meghan Tocci contributed to this piece.

Examples of One-Way Text Messaging

• Event Updates: Businesses use one-way text messaging apps to send timely event updates, ensuring that all attendees are informed without the confusion of multiple replies.
• Promotional Campaigns: These apps are ideal for promoting products or services efficiently to large audiences.
• RSVPs and Surveys: One-way messaging is perfect for sending RSVP requests or surveys where responses are collected but not seen by other participants.
• Customer Feedback Requests: Solicit feedback or testimonials by sending out requests that recipients can reply to individually.

Benefits of One-Way Text Messaging

• Efficiency and clarity: One-way messaging helps maintain clarity and control over the communication, avoiding the potential chaos of reply-all messages.
• Scalability and speed: This type of messaging allows businesses to reach large audiences quickly and effectively.
• High open rates: Text messages often have high open rates, making them a reliable method of communication.
• Automated communication: One-way messaging can be automated based on triggers, saving time and resources for businesses.

The post One way group text messaging: The best group text app without reply all appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

If you read a negative review of your business and feel your stomach churn, you are not alone.

On the other hand, when a customer shares a good review for your company, it’s a cause for celebration!

The highs and lows of customer feedback are all too real. The problem is that most businesses focus on the former. 

We are here to tell you that you can do more than prevent bad reviews: You can generate positive ones too.

In this article, we provide you with examples of good reviews and what they can teach us.  We also equip you with the know-how to set the tone of future reviews.

Good customer reviews impact your bottom-line

We wrote recently about how Google reviews help your Google rankings, and how to automate the ask. All you really need to know is that a staggering 9 out of 10 customers read reviews before deciding to purchase from you. 

There is a ton of research that goes a step further and attempts to quantify reviews actual dollar value. One such study by the Harvard Business Review found, “a one-star increase in Yelp rating leads to a 5-9% increase in revenue.” On the other hand, only 2.5 percent of consumers trust businesses with overall ratings of 2.0 stars or less. If 97% of potential customers skip over your business, it’ll be hard to keep the lights on.

Customer feedback examples 

If you want to generate more positive reviews, it helps to know what an excellent review really looks like. You might be thinking, “Duh, I know this already, people say nice things about my business.”

There is more to it than a five-star rating. While the exact characteristics of good reviews vary by industry, there are certain fundamental elements that great reviews have in common. It’s worth taking note of them. You need to know what the end goal looks like if you want to achieve it.

1. Good reviews are detailed, specific & honest

A useful review includes enough detail to give others a feel for what happened. Potential customers want to know more than that someone else was happy. They want to know what exactly they liked so that they can gauge whether it aligns with their own preferences. Just compare this review of a Dominos…

To this review…

Which review is likely to influence someone with an intense pizza craving? A five-star rating and “good pizza” is not bad, but it doesn’t have the same impact. A review doesn’t have to be the length of War and Peace, but an honest, detailed, and specific recollection goes a long way to building credibility.

2. Good reviews praise stellar customer service

70% of U.S. consumers say they’ve spent more money to do business with a company that delivers excellent service. It’s not surprising then that a good review will shed a positive light on your customer experience.

An added bonus is if a review makes particular note of your staff or even calls out an employee by name:

3. Good reviews provides constructive criticism

One less-heralded benefit of reviews is the feedback they provide you with. Ideally, a review also outlines areas of possible improvement. This constructive criticism is not only helpful to you. It also gives customers a sense of their “worst-case” scenario.

They want to know what can go wrong to understand just how much it will matter to them. Take this review:

If a customer doesn’t care about the restaurant’s food presentation, then it won’t bother them. If they do, and they decide to come anyway, then at least it won’t come as a surprise. Not only will they be less likely to complain, but they will also be more likely to focus on the positives they expected.

4. Good reviews features images

Marketers use a fancy word for images in reviews: User-generated content. If you are not a fan of marketing jargon, it basically means that your customers include pictures of your product in action or your business’s premise. These “real-life” images provide an in-depth and authentic feel to any review. 

Good review examples from different industries

How to generate good customer reviews & feedback

Now that you have a solid understanding of both the importance of good reviews and actual examples of real reviews, it’s time to focus on generating more of them.

There are a lot of different ways that you can help control the narrative in your reviews, but here are three critical areas you can’t ignore.

1. Provide exceptional customer service

If you’ve paid attention thus far, you know that we already called out the importance of customer service. It might go without saying, but the number one way you can generate overwhelmingly positive customer reviews is by focusing on customer service. 

Empower your staff to go above traditional standards—and beyond canned responses—to deliver personal customer support. A genuinely warm and human experience prompts loyalty like nothing else. 

2. Encourage reviews on your social channels

It’s incredibly rare that anyone would pick up the phone and call you up with feedback. Instead, your customers take to social media to talk about you. That’s why it’s essential to harness your most public-facing customer service touchpoint and join in on the conversation. 

With the right approach, you can turn it into a goldmine of positivity. Encourage customer feedback and positive interactions with fun hashtags and quick responses, and most importantly, have fun.

This does not apply solely to customers post-purchase, but at every single point on the customer journey. Your tone and voice in this interaction will help guide your customers, so expect it to be reflected back in their reviews.

3. Reply to positive customer reviews

Certain people believe that the higher-purpose of customer service is to turn an angry customer into a happy one. In this light, there lies an opportunity in every negative review.

While there is value in this, it can risk a mindset that ignores the power of good reviews too, and the need to respond to them. Positive reinforcement is the core concept here.

Happy customers need to be heard just as much as unsatisfied ones. This shows anyone thinking of leaving a review that they will be heard and that their feedback matters to you. 

Good customer feedback is essential for your business

Whether you want to get reviews on Amazon or Facebook, repeat after me, “customer reviews are under my control.” Reviews are just another element of your company.

When you focus on excellent customer service, you create the reviews you want. You can also determine the tone and voice of the customer by reflecting it in your engagement with them, primarily in-person and through your social channels.

There is, unfortunately, no exact science. But when you see consistently excellent reviews roll in, you know you have the right formula.

FAQs about good review examples

The post 7 good review examples and how to generate compelling customer feedback appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

The data is clear: 54% of consumers want to get promotions through text, but only 11% of businesses send texts. That’s a gap you’re going to want to take advantage of, and the best way to do it is with a reliable business texting service.

Business texting services bring together the best of SMS marketing (and sometimes more) at an attractive price point and offer users plenty of help getting started.

But there are so many — which do you choose?

We’ve brought together the top seven business texting platforms on the market to give you an easy comparison so you can make an informed decision.

How I selected and tested the apps

Whether it’s on a sales call or our small business podcast, our team talks to small business owners every day. For this list of the top business texting apps, I selected the ones that come up most often in our conversations.

Though I’m partial to SimpleTexting, I can accurately write about our strengths and weaknesses and compare them to popular alternatives. I’ve tried and tested each platform firsthand, except for Attentive, which doesn’t have a trial or a simple way to see if it’s the best texting app out there. Instead, I had to rely on accounts of real customers who have used it. 

As I tested the apps, I looked at how easy it is to import and manage contacts, send a text message campaign, have a two-way conversation in the inbox, and use more advanced features like segmentation and automation. This comparison list is a labor of love that’s filled with hours of researching, talking to small business owners, and sending texts.

A side-by-side comparison of the top 7 small business texting apps

I’m about to throw a bunch of information at you about these business text messaging services, and it’s all intended to help you make the most informed decision.

But in case you want to short-list your options, I’ve included an overview of how each platform measures against the others.

*Each platform in this chart also has these standard features:

• Mass texting
• Two-way messaging
• Automated texts
• MMS
• Scheduled texts
• Personalization
• Reporting
• Segmentation

A closer look at the top 7 business texting services 

Now that you know how to go about picking your business texting service, here are the most popular options to consider. 

1. SimpleTexting

I’d be remiss if I didn’t add SimpleTexting to this list, and in fairness, I’m not the only person who thinks SimpleTexting is one of the best SMS services for small business. G2 awarded SimpleTexting Easiest to Use, Easiest to Do Business With, and Users Most Likely to Recommend in Fall 2023. 

Our customers love that the platform is an all-in-one business texting service with a comprehensive texting dashboard, a dedicated support team available seven days a week, and a user-friendly suite of features.

Pros

Our platform has all the tools you need to build a thriving SMS marketing strategy. From mass messaging and a one-on-one inbox to tools for polling your contacts and holding contests, everything is built with small businesses in mind.

SimpleTexting is also designed to work hand in hand with your existing tools and processes. Choose from any of our software integrations or have the team design a tailor-made custom integration just for you.

Every plan comes with unlimited keywords, self-service billing options, rollover credits, and three user seats.

Cons

SimpleTexting is strictly an SMS tool. You’ll need to integrate with other tools if you want to use SMS in conjunction with your email or CRM provider (but integrations are a breeze).

The platform also lacks a QR code generator, which may be an issue if you want to add contacts with a QR code (but here’s an easy way to use QR codes with SimpleTexting’s platform).

SimpleTexting pricing

Our pricing plans depend on the number of messages you plan to send each month, and you can select a custom amount. If you need more credits, add more from your billing page at any time. Unused credits roll over to the next month.

All plans come with our full suite of features and:

• Free incoming SMS messages
• Unlimited contacts
• Free number that’s all yours
• Support 7 days per week
• Mailchimp and Zapier integrations
• Unlimited keywords
• 3 user seats

Here are some examples of messaging credits costs and the features included.

Free trial

SimpleTexting has a 14-day trial that comes with 50 credits and one keyword.

2. SMSBump by Yotpo

SMSBump is an SMS platform geared specifically toward e-commerce, with features that take the guesswork out of building effective customer flows. Fortunately, I have access to a Shopify store, so I can get the full SMSBump experience.

Recommended for: E-commerce store owners who are low on time and want out-of-the-box automation features, like Flow templates and dynamic audiences.

Pros

This service comes with a lot of features based on how your customers interact with your store, meaning you won’t have to track down someone who abandoned their cart or follow up to recommend products based on a previous purchase — the software will do it for you. 

Users will also have access to one-on-one conversation capabilities in the Chat tab for customer service. 

One of my favorite features is the pre-built flow templates, which allow you to create a series of automated messages for abandoned carts, loyalty rewards, customer winbacks, and more. 

If you don’t already have an email service provider, you can sign up for Yotpo’s email app and directly integrate it with your SMS campaigns.

Cons

Customers complain chiefly about the UX of the platform, claiming that the product isn’t terribly user-friendly and is glitchy at times. Other reviews mention difficulty syncing with third-party software and some plans being too expensive for a small business.

When I signed up for SMSBump, I was confused about where I was supposed to go to create an SMS campaign. There seem to be two dashboards — one when you log in through their website and one when you access it through your Shopify store.

The dashboard on their site is bare-bones, which could be good if you’re just looking to send a mass text to your customers. But I don’t see a way to manage conversations and respond to customers from this dashboard.

I was relieved to find the Shopify dashboard for SMSBump, where the user experience is higher quality.

SMSBump pricing

*All plans are eligible for 10,000 free emails.

Free trial

SMSBump’s lowest pricing plan is free with limited features.

3. EZTexting

If you look up lists of the most loved text marketing platforms out there, you’ll see EZTexting on most of them. EZTexting is a classic SMS service with tools for growing and organizing your contact lists, designing and automating texts, and more. 

Recommended for: Business owners or marketers who are looking for an SMS marketing starter kit.

Pros

Think of EZTexting as the SMS marketing starter kit. 

With their features, you’ll be able to market to and communicate with your customers, monitor your campaign performance, and add team members to your account so you’re not handling your whole SMS strategy on your own.

Cons

Although EZTexting does have a mobile app, some reviews mention poor functionality when using the app. Other users experience issues with receiving notifications when they aren’t actively logged into their accounts, which affects response times and customer relationships.

As far as the desktop version of the platform goes, I was stoked to try out the Shutterstock integration, which lets you add a stock photo to your text message campaign. However, the search results don’t seem to include images with real models — only graphics.

EZ Texting pricing

Below are the starting costs for each EZ Texting pricing plan, and they all come with the full suite of features.

Free trial

You can try their platform for 14 days with 120 credits.

4. Textedly

Textedly is a beloved text marketing platform, having won several G2 awards in 2023. They offer all the foundational text marketing tools such as easy opt-ins, text scheduling, extended character limits, and in-depth analytics to measure message performance.

Available apps also include surveys, Text to Vote, and voice services for your chosen number. 

Pros

Most of Textedly’s accolades mention their great support staff and how well they’re suited to small business use. 

More advanced features include conversation triggers that will help you put your customer communications on autopilot for better response times and customer service, as well as the ability to add multiple team members to your account.

The Voice Calls add-on ($99) is a good deal for businesses that want to use a text-enabled number for phone calls. Textedly also supports Instagram integrations and text scheduling.

Cons

Users have highlighted some issues when uploading and managing contact lists and individual phone numbers, specifically, a lack of flexibility in organizing and labeling contacts.

In the App Tools tab of my dashboard, I saw that I have many options for tools and integrations, but most of them have a one-time fee attached to them (for instance, the Instagram text button is $79).

If you know you’re going to use the integration often, it would be worth paying the money up front, but it may be hard to justify if you’re on the fence about it.

Textedly pricing

Textedly has pricing plans from $0/month all the way to $2,800/month for 200,000 credits (as well as custom plans). Here’s a breakdown of the first six pricing tiers.

Free trial

Textedly offers a 14-day free trial with 50 message credits.

5. SlickText

SlickText sits among the top business texting services in the industry, and for good reason. The platform focuses on your relationships with your customers, with tools to help you bring them onto your lists and connect with them quickly and efficiently afterward.

Recommended for: Brands that want to get an SMS loyalty program up and running quickly.

Pros

SlickText not only offers a wide range of opt-in methods to help customers join your text lists, but it also comes with features like email capture to help easily transfer existing email contacts to your text program.

From there, SlickText features options for personalizing and automating your texts so you can send effective messages with minimal setup or effort on your part. 

Cons

Users have commented that their rollover credits tend to time out because their monthly allotted credits get used first. Others say that their automated workflows lack some flexibility.

SlickText pricing

* Loving the creativity in these plan names. Although, is the Albatross plan supposed to be a burden and an obstacle to success? Surely not.

Free trial

SlickText comes with a 14-day free trial with 50 credits.

6. TextMagic

TextMagic is an SMS platform built around the idea of easy-to-operate, effective text marketing. They offer features for creating, scheduling, and sending texts with things like templates and long text messages with more characters.

Pros

Aside from their texting features, TextMagic comes with features for identifying invalid numbers to increase your message deliverability and email to SMS so you can easily convert emails to texts.

Users can also text out audio files and use Text to Speech to turn texts into phone calls, meaning you can communicate with more than just words on a screen. 

Cons

Reviews mention inconsistent sending to large groups of contacts and a lack of integrations with CRM platforms, as well as occasionally slow customer service.

Pricing

TextMagic accounts are free. Users only pay for the messages they send, with SMS messages priced at $0.04 per text.

Free trial

You can try TextMagic for 30 days with $0.40 in messaging credits.

7. Attentive

Attentive is a text message marketing platform that supports business texting with a suite of tools that includes integrations, easy opt-in methods for building contact lists, and resources for targeted messages. The platform is built primarily with e-commerce companies in mind.

Pros

Attentive offers a lot of excellent features for zeroing in on who your customers are — their buying patterns, preferences, and personal details — and translating that information into targeted, effective messages and clear views of your larger customer base and what they want.

That’s a big advantage for small businesses that want text messaging to start working at maximum effectiveness without much trial and error.

Cons

The biggest drawback to the Attentive platform is that you must book a demo before you can view their plans or pricing. That lack of transparency can present an obstacle if you’re just at the browsing stage. 

Pricing

None available without a demo.

Free trial

I wasn’t able to find a free trial on Attentive’s site.

These are my seven picks for the best texting services for small businesses. Read on to learn how business texting works, why you should use it, and what to look for in a texting platform.

What is business text messaging?

Business text messaging is a service that allows businesses to send and receive SMS from their customers, employees, and partners. It’s the most convenient way to communicate important information quickly, such as appointment reminders, delivery notifications, customer support responses, and internal announcements.

Many types of businesses — like healthcare providers, retailers, and hotels — benefit from text messaging. For instance, healthcare providers can use text messaging to send reminders for appointments and medication instructions. Meanwhile, retailers can use it to answer customer questions and track orders. Hotel managers can schedule texts that confirm reservations and provide check-in instructions. 

You’ll find that most business text messaging platforms provide features like automated messages, personalization, templates, and analytics (or, at least, they should).

How does business text messaging work?

Business text messaging works similarly to traditional text messaging, with a few differences. 

Instead of using a personal phone number and messaging app (like iMessage), businesses use a specialized communication platform to send and receive text messages. It lets them manage high volumes of messages and automate parts of the messaging process, like sending reminders and responses to common questions. 

Compared to traditional text messaging, business text messaging provides several advantages for businesses. First, it allows them to centralize their messages instead of spreading them across various employees’ personal devices. 

It also helps them reach customers on a platform they are already using (and check 11 times a day or more on average), increasing the likelihood of getting a response.

Why you should use a business texting service

But first, why should a business owner invest in a business texting service in the first place? 

• They offer a central hub to create, organize, send, and monitor mass texts and one-on-one messages.
• They’re easy to manage. Many business texting services offer the option to add members of your team onto your account to help manage your texting strategy.
• They help you take advantage of the best marketing channel out there. Texts get an average open rate of 98%, so a good business texting service makes reaching your audience reliable and easy.
• They’re versatile. With an SMS platform, you can send mass texts, have individual conversations, create automated messages, integrate with other tools you already use, create polls, and more. 
• They’re generally affordable. Most texting platforms have plans that start at less than the cost of the average phone plan.

What to look for in a business texting service

That’s the rundown on what a business texting service can do for a small business, but every business is unique, so it pays to do your due diligence when choosing a service. Here’s a quick checklist to follow as you do your research. 

• Make a list of features you need. Will you send a lot of mass messages or will you focus on one-on-one conversations (or both)? Do you want contacts to join your lists with keywords, web forms, or another method? 
• Figure out how many messages you want to send and look at how many credits each platform’s plans include. Don’t forget to check whether unused credits will roll over to the next month or year.
• Look into third-party integrations so you can connect your texting service to other tools you use for e-commerce, email, and customer management.
• Check for user-friendliness. Is the platform intuitive, simple to navigate, and beginner-friendly?
• How’s the customer service department? You need to know that you can get help with the platform when you need it, so make sure the platform you choose has an active, helpful support staff.
• Read reviews from other users. It’s one thing to read up on features and tools, but it helps to know what other small business owners think about all the different business texting services out there. 

At the end of the day, the right small business texting service for you and your brand will depend on your unique structure and needs.

I hope, though, that this quick look at the top seven services in SMS gives you a good place to start looking and gathering information as you build out your ideal texting strategy.

The post The 7 best text messaging services for small businesses appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

With the help of real users, I found seven of the best text messaging services for business to reduce the overwhelm for you. Let’s find a good fit for your company.

How I decided on these business texting apps

The best app recommendations come from extensive knowledge and use. So, I chose these apps based on stories from users like you and their ratings from professionals across the internet. I also curated these options with a varied selection of strengths in mind so businesses with all sorts of goals can find the right tool.

The 7 best text messaging services for your business to try

Here are the seven top texting apps for businesses like yours:

1. SimpleTexting
2. OpenPhone
3. EZTexting
4. Attentive
5. Google Voice
6. SendPulse
7. Podium

1. SimpleTexting: Straightforward and powerful texting

Let’s start with a familiar name – SimpleTexting. It offers everything you need to send bulk and one-on-one messages in an easy-to-use package. Thanks to its approachable interface, hundreds of integrations, and intuitive analytics, it’s one of the best text messaging services for small businesses. But, it can also scale up for users with advanced texting needs. 

Aiden Higgins of The Broke Backpacker vouches for SimpleTexting because of its affordable credits, integrations, and automation. For Aiden, it makes mass marketing campaigns simple to send.

Key features

• Bulk and one-on-one messaging for every texting situation
• Texting list signup options like text-to-join, text-to-vote, text-to-win, and web forms
• Data collection for personalizing your marketing campaigns
• Contact management with self-cleaning number lists
• Flexible plans with rollover texting credits

Pricing

SimpleTexting’s plans start at $39.99/month for 500 credits a month and three user seats and scale according to the number of credits and user seats you need every month.

Where to get it

Try SimpleTexting for free for 14 days here.

Download SimpleTexting for:

• PC 
• Android
• iOS 

2. OpenPhone: A comprehensive phone service

OpenPhone offers text messages, calls, contact management, and multiple phone numbers in one platform for better communication. It could suit your business if you’re looking for an all-in-one solution for team collaboration or smaller-scale communication with clients. Its native group messaging is limited to nine contacts at once, so it’s not a great fit for mass text marketing.

Many users brought up their preference for OpenPhone to me. Scrape-it.cloud’s Roman Milyushkevich considers it an ideal solution for startups because of its low price and unlimited calls and texts in North America. Dave Kerr from Merged Dental Marketing loves its location-based text scheduling and mobile app. Michael Chen of Notta can confirm OpenPhone’s stability after using it for over five years without any major technology failures.

Key features

• Group and one-on-one messaging
• Voice calls
• Unique phone numbers for each user
• Address book with customer info like role, phone, email, website, and lead status
• Internal collaboration features for coordinating messages with customers

Pricing

Pricing for OpenPhone begins at $15.00/user/month for unlimited calling and messaging in North America, with advanced plans starting at $23.00/user/month. Higher tiers include features like group calling and analytics.

Where to get it

Try OpenPhone for seven days by signing up here.

Download OpenPhone for:

• PC
• Android
• iOS 

3. EZTexting: Texting options for every business

As its name implies, EZTexting aims to make texting easy with a simple interface and straightforward service. Out of all the apps on this list, it has the widest range of pricing options to fit all sorts of businesses.

EZTexting was another popular option among the users I talked to. Instrumentl’s Gauri Manglik appreciates its intuitive UI and selection of integrations. On top of also vouching for its integrations, Brian David Crane of Spread Great Ideas attests to EZTexting’s affordable plans. At OSHA Outreach Courses, Farhan Siraj counts on this tool for its accessible pricing and use.

Key features

• One-on-one and bulk texting
• Text campaigns
• AI message authoring assistance
• Text marketing features like keywords and web signup forms
• Contact management, including segmentation
• Text message analytics

Pricing

EZTexting’s business texting plans start anywhere from $20.00 to $3000.00 a month depending on the message speed, cost, and delivery rate you want. Message cost varies by plan, with the Launch plan charging $0.027/message.

Where to get it

Give EZTexting’s starter Launch plan a shot for free for 14 days at this link.

Download EZTexting for:

• PC
• iOS

EZTexting does not have an Android app.

4. Attentive: Large-scale, personalized texting

Attentive offers conversational SMS and email marketing features that optimize every step of the process. In exchange for robust personalization and customer conversion options, you’ll have to schedule a demo to learn more about pricing and expect to pay more compared to many apps.

The users who brought up Attentive to me like it because of its powerful AI and automations. Best Price Nutrition’s John Frigo appreciates that its AI composer can lend a hand on days when he’s not feeling so creative.

At Bybrand, Bernardo Castro relies on features like its AI composer, automated customer support, and suggested best times to send messages.

Key features

• Personalized one-on-one and group messaging
• Automated customer service messaging
• Conversion-focused email marketing
• AI message drafting and audience segmentation
• Message analytics with customizable reports

Pricing

Attentive does not openly share its pricing on its website. In this Flowmium blog post, Andriy Boychuk claims that according to his network, Attentive charges $300.00/month and $0.01 per message, plus carrier fees.

Where to get it

Attentive offers access to a free trial and account signup after you participate in a free demo. It doesn’t have a mobile app.

5. Google Voice: Budget-friendly texting and voice

At an affordable price, Google Voice delivers fundamental calling and texting features from a virtual number. Since it doesn’t have any bulk texting features, it’s another app that suits businesses that need smaller-scale communication.

While Google Voice is the most straightforward service on this list, users did point out a few of its versatile points. At Ling, a language app, Simon Bacher works with folks all over the world, making the app’s affordable international rates a huge plus.

Erik Pham from Health Canal vouches for Google Voice’s integrations with other Google Services that streamline communications and collaboration.

Key features

• Unlimited texting and calling in the USA on all plans
• Unlimited calls between two North American numbers or two European numbers on all plans
• AI-powered voicemail transcription and spam blocking

Pricing

Google Voice’s plans (as seen on its main page) start at $10.00/user/month and scale up for features like unlimited users and an auto attendant.

Where to get it

Google Voice doesn’t offer a free trial, but it has one of the most approachable monthly prices on this list.

Download Google Voice for:

• PC
• Android
• iOS 

6. SendPulse: Multi-channel messaging

SendPulse has the most communication channels to choose from on this list. SMS is just one part of the tool’s offerings that include email, chatbots, LMS design, a CRM, and website management. It could work for your business if you have a large communications ecosystem that texting is just one part of.

Developer-minded users and users expecting an out-of-the-box solution can both appreciate SendPulse. According to Amy Kauffman of Let’s Tango, SendPulse is easy to integrate directly into web apps, and its API lets you adapt it to many use cases.

Meanwhile, Collen Clark from Schmidt & Clark finds it easy to use and set up in its native app.

Key features

• Bulk text messaging campaigns
• Drag-and-drop email marketing campaign designer
• Sales automation
• Customer relationship management
• Website builder
• Online course builder
• Chatbot builder
• Marketing pop-up windows

Pricing

SendPulse allows for free account signup and use and charges by the message for SMS services. Pricing per message is location-based – for example, it costs $0.022 to send a message to the United States.

Where to get it

The lowest plan tier for SendPulse is free, so you’ll always have access to your account. New SMS users can send 10 test messages for free.

Download it for:

• PC (Click Sign Up)
• Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sendpulse.sendpulse 
• iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sendpulse/id945711525 

7. Podium: Versatile lead generation and communication

Podium calls itself a “lead conversion platform” and encompasses SMS, review management, web chat, voice calls, and social media messaging. If you’re trying to get more leads through text messaging, this app could help you integrate it into the rest of your lead generation strategies.

While it leans toward client communication over team communication, Podium works well for both use cases. VentureSmarter’s Jon Morgan uses the platform to coordinate among team members and clients and boost brand reputation through reviews.

When Gert Kulla needed a tool to organize communication at RedBat.Agency, Podium made it easy to stay on top of client conversations. And the review platform certainly does its job, too – SEO consultant Blake Smith acquired over 100 reviews for a client through it.

Key features

• One-on-one and bulk text messaging
• Automatic replies to customers reaching out through third-party inquiries
• Contact management integrated with other Podium features
• Web chat
• Voice calls
• Social media messaging

Pricing

Podium’s pricing plans start at $249.00/month for 1,000 contacts and up to three users.

Where to get it

Podium does not offer a free trial, but you can watch a demo at this link.

Download it for:

• PC: 
• Android 
• iOS

What’s the best SMS app for your business?

There’s no one-size-fits-all best tool for every business. As you browse the options in this guide, consider your:

• Messaging needs: How many texts do you want to send every month, how often, and to whom?
• Budget: How does your marketing or communications budget compare to the pricing the app offers? Remember to factor in number activation fees, carrier fees, international texting rates, and standard message rates.
• Buy-in to text messaging: Do you already use text messaging in your business, or do you just want to try it out? Pay attention to the minimum commitment each tool requires.

The post The 7 best text messaging services for businesses appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

After all, Americans received 19.2 billion spam texts in January of 2024 alone. 

Thankfully, you can block unwanted texts to make sure the person sending them can’t contact you again.

In this article, we’ll break down the steps you can take to block text messages on iOS and Android. You’ll also learn how to block texts your business is getting and how to make sure your customers never block you.

Ways to block a text message as an individual

Unwanted texts are not just annoying. They can be dangerous, too. Here’s how to keep things like spam and other irritating texts away from your inbox, whether you have an Android or an iPhone.

How to block texts on iOS

Blocking unwanted texts is easy through the Messages app. Here’s the step-by-step:

1. Open up the conversation containing the text you want to block.
2. Choose the phone number or contact name at the top of the conversation box.
3. Tap “info” on the right side under the name of the contact. 
4. You’ll see a few options. Find and click the one labeled “Block this Caller.”

You can see all the numbers you’ve blocked at any time by going to the Settings app on your phone and looking under Messages, then Blocked Contacts.

Blocking text messages on Android

The process for blocking messages on Android is (thankfully) very similar. Let’s break down the steps for blocking a text on the Messages app:

1. From the text conversation screen, click on the contact or number above the conversation.
2. Select the three dots at the top right of the screen, where you’ll see the “Block numbers” option.

3. Click “Block” on the popup.

To see lists of your blocked contacts, just head to the Contacts app, click “Fix & manage,” and select “Blocked numbers.”

How to block a text message as a business

If you have the ability to receive texts as a business, you’re inevitably going to get a few that you don’t want. 

You have a few options for blocking unwanted texts:

• If you’re using a texting app–whether it’s SimpleTexting or an alternative–you can easily unsubscribe contacts from your lists to stop receiving texts from them.
• Report spam numbers to your phone service provider after blocking them via one of the above methods. 
• Try out a third-party app to block unwanted texts and calls. Truecaller is among the best in the business. 

How to keep customers from blocking your texts

Obviously, it’s nice to know how to block texts you don’t want to receive, but you don’t want your customers blocking your texts. 

So, how do you make sure they don’t? Here are a few best practices. 

• Follow all compliance guidelines laid out for text message marketing. That means getting express consent from every subscriber before texting them, identifying your brand in your texts, and honoring every opt-out request (among other things).
• Don’t text too often. If you’re not sure how often you should be texting your subscribers, here’s a send cadence guideline you can follow.
• Stick to regular business hours to text your clients. Scheduling your texts can make this easier. 
• Not sure what your subscribers want to receive from you? Ask. Send out a survey or Data Collection series to get to know your customers and tailor your texts to their needs. 
• Personalize your texts. Recent data suggests that 78% of consumers claim that they’re more likely to repurchase from a brand after receiving personalized messages. Use customer details like names, locations, and areas or products of interest to send relevant content to each subscriber.

The wrap on blocking texts 

Your text inbox is sacred. You only give out your number to people you trust, so receiving text scams or spammy messages can feel like a serious breach of trust. 

Thankfully, you can stop unwanted texts at the source using the tips and tricks we’ve laid out here.

Want a smoother, safer way to run your SMS strategy? Try out SimpleTexting for 14 days, completely free.

The post How to block a text message on iOS and Android appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

Finding a small business podcast isn’t hard, but figuring out which ones are worth your time can be. As a self-proclaimed podcast nerd, people often ask me for small business podcast recommendations. But “business” as a topic is so broad that right show for you will depend on the stage of your small business, the information you need, and the style of show you prefer.

To make things easy, I’ve broken this list down into three sections: the best overall, the best for inspiration, and the best for tactical advice. So whether you’re a first-time entrepreneur or a seasoned operator needing in-the-weeds tips to scale, there’s a show on this list for you. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Best podcasts for small business owners overall
• Best small business podcasts for inspiration
• Best small business podcasts for tactical advice

Best podcasts for small business owners overall

Shoestring

First up is Shoestring, a podcast I help produce. But hear me out – I created this show because I couldn’t find anything like it. I wanted more than just talking heads; something akin to This American Life and Heavyweight. In each episode of Shoestring, we provide free marketing advice to small business owners and invite you into the room as our team brainstorm ideas. You’ll eavesdrop on the call where we share these ideas with the business and learn if they work. 

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple podcasts

The Pitch

The Pitch is always on my list of recommendations of podcasts for small business owners. It is essentially Shark Tank in podcast form. Entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to investors for a chance at investment. When I ran a small business, The Pitch was invaluable – I’d take the questions investors asked entrepreneurs on the show and ask myself those same questions about my business.

Business plans, scaling, and identifying customers – these are questions every small business owner should be asking themselves. By interrogating your own venture with the same inquiries, you’ll evolve into a better entrepreneur. 

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple podcasts

Think Like an Owner

This one stands out from the typical business podcasts that focus on interviewing founders and their startup stories. Instead, Think Like an Owner dives into the world of operators and private equity professionals who buy businesses, scale them, and then sell them. It’s a refreshing operational perspective that goes beyond the initial inspiration stage of running a business. Host Alex Bridgman has a knack for digging deep and asking tactical questions.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple podcasts

Business Unusual with Barbara Corcoran

I’ve often pondered which shark I’d want to invest in my company if I were on Shark Tank. Time and time again, I find myself choosing Barbara Corcoran. Her incredible story is worth a listen on “How I Built This,” and she even has her own podcast, “Business Unusual.” 

One of my favorite parts of the show is when small business owners call in with questions, and Barbara answers them. I really appreciate her no-nonsense advice, which comes from her firsthand experience not just in her real estate empire, but also from the businesses she’s invested in on Shark Tank.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

The Reboot Podcast

I first stumbled upon Jerry Colonna through Startup, the next podcast on this list. Jerry, a founding partner of Flatiron Ventures, is known for mixing mindfulness with work. Picture him as a blend of business coach and therapist, working with top-notch tech founders and CEOs.

In his podcast, Reboot, he dives into themes similar to his book that shares the same name. He explores topics like conquering fear, establishing trust, and understanding how your childhood impacts you today.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Startup

Startup, a classic from the folks at Gimlet Media, is a podcast about starting a podcast company. Yeah, it’s pretty meta. With its documentary style, you’ll feel like you’re right there in the action.

Later seasons switch things up by following other businesses, like Dating Ring. And in season three, they feature a new business each episode. Trust me, Startup sets the bar high for business podcasts – you’ll want to binge every season.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Best small business podcasts for inspiration

Business Breakdowns

For a deeper dive into how successful businesses operate, tune into “Business Breakdowns.” Each episode is a case study on a specific company – think Peloton, Netflix, or SpaceX. The hosts dissect business models, strategies, and what led to their successes (or failures). It’s a fantastic resource for understanding the nitty-gritty of various industries. Great for those who enjoy a mix of storytelling and analysis.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

The Ground Up Show

You might know Matt D’Avella from his YouTube channel, where he’s got 3.79 million subscribers. Or perhaps you’ve caught the Netflix documentary he directed, The Minimalists. But did you know he’s also got a podcast? It’s called The Ground Up Show.

Like his YouTube channel, Matt’s podcast isn’t just about business. He digs into topics like anxiety, morning routines, and breaking up with social media. There’s even an episode called A Minimalist Approach to Business. Matt hasn’t dropped a new episode since 2019, but don’t let that stop you. There are over 100 episodes in the vault, and they’re worth checking out. And hey, while you’re at it, give his YouTube channel a look if you haven’t already.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

My First Million

Shane and Sam, hosts of the My First Million podcast, chat like old friends, but each episode is packed with useful nuggets. You’re guaranteed to pick up some wisdom or a handy framework you can apply. The show began as a place to brainstorm business ideas but has since evolved to include interviews with entrepreneurs building big, impactful companies and breakdowns of different businesses.

It’s a mix of entrepreneurship, creativity, personal growth, and a dash of humor. With episode titles like “How I Bought a Million Dollar Egg Carton Business for Zero Dollars,” it’s tough not to binge this podcast.

Listen on Apple podcasts

Listen on Spotify

The Quest Pod with Justin Kan

The Quest pod seems to have hit the pause button, with no new episodes since February 2022. But don’t let that stop you – there’s a treasure trove of past episodes waiting. Justin Kan, one of Twitch’s co-founders, leads the show. Twitch, by the way, is that video game streaming giant that Amazon bought for a cool billion.

What sets Justin apart as a host? He’s down-to-earth. In a chat with him, he said he used to think you needed to be some kind of genius to run a successful company. But he’s no whiz at coding, math, or management – and yet, he made it big. That same humble vibe comes through when he interviews other successful founders. 

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Small Business War Stories

It’s been a while since this show released a new episode – November 2019, to be exact. But trust me, it’s worth going back and giving it a listen. The host, Pablo Fuentes, spent three years traveling the country, chatting with small business owners face-to-face. He dives into all sorts of businesses – hostels, record stores, neon art shops, clothing stores, guitar repair stores, cafes… you name it.

These small business owners share their struggles, funny stories, and day-to-day lives. And with over 150 episodes in the catalog, there’s plenty to keep you entertained and inspired

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

The Tim Ferriss Show

Tim Ferriss is like the godfather of podcasting. He’s been at it since 2014, and his show has racked up over 700 million downloads. A favorite among small business owners, you might know Tim from his New York Times bestseller, The 4-Hour Workweek.

He talks about more than just business – fitness and mental health are on the menu too. But with over 700 episodes, you’re sure to find interviews with entrepreneurs that’ll get your wheels turning. One of my top picks? “One Person Businesses That Make $1,000,000 Per Year.” Give it a listen if you think success means managing a huge team. You might be surprised.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Masters of Scale

Reid Hoffman, the guy behind LinkedIn, has a podcast. It’s all about tech entrepreneurs – think Netflix and Slack CEOs. They talk about how they grow their businesses. It’s a chance to learn from them and see if you can use their ideas for your small business.

But heads up – this isn’t your typical interview-style podcast. They like to mix things up with music and sound design. Some folks find it distracting, or say the interviews feel chopped up. Give it a listen and see if it’s your cup of tea.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen on Spotify

GaryVee Audio Experience

Gary Vee, you either love him or you hate him. But one thing’s for sure…he’s hard to ignore. He first made waves by creating Resy, a reservation software company. Now, he’s got his hands in advertising and media agencies while dishing out entrepreneurial advice on social media.

He’s got a podcast too, where he chats about the future of business and marketing and brings in other experts for a fresh take.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Diary of a CEO

Ever wonder what runs through a CEO’s mind? “Diary of a CEO” might be your answer. Hosted by Steven Bartlett, a young entrepreneur and former CEO of a leading social media company, this podcast offers an unfiltered peek into the highs and lows of leading a business. Steven doesn’t just share his own journey; he brings on guests who open up about their triumphs and failures. It’s raw, honest, and sometimes brutally vulnerable – exactly what the entrepreneurial soul needs.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

How I Built This

You have likely already listened to How I Built This. If so, you know what it deserves a spot on this list. If you haven’t, stop what you’re doing and pull up an episode. This is one of the leading business podcasts out there. Guy Raz, the host, is a master interviewer. He digs deep into the origin stories of household brands like Lululemon, Eventbrite, Supergoop, and others.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Best small podcasts for tactical advice

Profit First Nation

Mike Michalowicz, a small business author, has penned books like The Pumpkin Plan, Fix This Next, and his big hit, Profit First. He’s got a unique take on accounting. Instead of the usual revenue minus cost equals profit, he believes revenue minus profit should equal costs. Sounds odd, right? But if it piques your interest, give his podcast, Profit First Nation, and book a try.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Badass Small Business Owner

A bunch of small business podcasts out there seem to be more about inspiration than real, down-to-earth advice. Badass Small Business Owner is different. They focus on trades like handymen, cleaners, landscapers, painters, dog groomers, pool cleaners, and so on.

If you’re working over 40 hours a week and struggling to grow your small business or find financial freedom, this is the show for you. Check out episodes like 7 Key Pillars of a Strong Business Foundation, Why Your Competition is More Profitable Than You Are, and You’re Paying Yourself Wrong in Your Small Business.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Business Made Simple with Donald Miller

Donald Miller wrote a fantastic book called How to Build a Story Brand. If you’re a small business owner trying to tell your brand’s story, you need to read it. But that’s not all – Donald also hosts a podcast, Business Made Simple, where he helps business owners run their companies better. He talks with other experts about things like online marketing, social media balance, media presence, and negotiation secrets.

What’s great about his podcast is how focused each episode is on a specific topic. You can skim through the list and find exactly what you need. For example, there’s an episode called Your Website Probably Stinks. Here’s How to Fix It. Or another one titled How to Unleash Your Instagram Potential. No need to listen in order – just find the advice that fits your current small business challenge.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Indie Hackers

If you’re running a classic brick-and-mortar or service business, this podcast might not be right for you. But if you’ve got an online venture or an app, then pull up a chair. This one’s for folks building online businesses and side hustles to break free from the nine-to-five grind.

You’ll hear about startup trends, marketing your side projects, reaching that first taste of profit (known as “ramen profitability” in software circles), and growing your app. 

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

HBR IdeaCast

One of the longest-running and most popular business podcasts is still going strong since its launch in 2016. Weekly episodes keep coming, thanks to hosts Allison Beard and Kurt Nikish. Allison, an executive editor at Harvard Business Review, used to be a reporter at the Financial Times. Kurt, also an editor at the same review, holds an MBA from Boston University and has covered business topics for NPR, Marketplace, and Fast Company.

Each episode tackles a different topic. They’ve talked about the four fears that hold you back from great ideas, big data, and how to build your company’s culture. No wonder people keep tuning in.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

That Will Never Work

You might not know Mark Randolph, but you’ve probably heard of his little creation called Netflix. He’s got a podcast called That Will Never Work, where he mentors startup founders. He answers questions like: Is pre-revenue funding just a fantasy? Should you buy or lease your location? How do you deal with resistance to change?

It’s like eavesdropping on a chat between Mark and ambitious founders. And when it’s over, you walk away with real advice you can use.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

The Bootstrapped Founder

Some people think you need piles of cash to make it as an entrepreneur. This podcast says otherwise. Arvid Kahl, the host, is all about bootstrapping your business. He knows what he’s talking about – he built and sold a company called Feedback Panda in under two years.

On The Bootstrapped Founder, Arvid shares the wisdom he picked up along the way. He’s a big believer in running a self-funded company. And he thinks it’s often better than chasing investors or racking up debt.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Perpetual Traffic

Tier 11 is an ad agency that dishes out a podcast twice a week. Every episode focuses on a particular tactic to get more leads and sales. You’ll learn stuff like blending Google Ads with Meta Ads to boost returns, or hear about must-have tools for marketers. If you’re a small business owner seeking digital marketing tips, this podcast might be right up your alley.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Everyone Hates Marketers

Do you think marketing is BS? This show’s for you. Host Louis Grenier isn’t scared to go against the grain. Over seven years and 250 episodes in, he talks timeless stuff: brand positioning, content marketing, product marketing, advertising. He chats with big names like Seth Godin, diving deep for an hour on things like shaking up change-hating industries, building a genuine social presence, and creating a content marketing empire.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Startups for the Rest of Us

For those who love staying small and bootstrapping your business, this one’s for you. Rob, the host, wrote the book Start Small, Stay Small. In each episode, he chats with experts about stuff like finding the perfect product-market fit, discovering your dream customer, and keeping your remote team fired up. Just a heads up, this podcast is mostly about software as a service. So if that’s not your jam, maybe choose another show from the list.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Tropical MBA

So, you started a business to make it work for you, not the other way around? The TMBA podcast might just be your thing. It’s for founders who crave personal freedom and want to shake up the old work-life balance idea. With over 10 million downloads and meetups worldwide, it’s worth giving a listen.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Build the Damn Thing

This show makes you want to get straight to work. Hosted by Kathryn Finney, one of Inc. Magazine’s most influential women in tech, she turned a blog into a seven-figure startup. Kathryn covers the basics: making sure your business solves a problem, getting the money to grow, and exiting a company to start anew. Her show even snagged a Webby Award nomination for Best Business Podcast.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Noah Kagan Presents

I discovered Noah Kagan through his YouTube channels where he does stuff like knocking on mansion doors to ask millionaires how they made their millions or asking billionaires if they have any regrets. His podcast dives into entrepreneurship too. 

Some of my favorite episodes? The one with productivity whiz Ali Abdaal, and the one with Jerry Colonna, the CEO coach known for making any CEO tear up. Noah’s got this infectious energy in his shows. Give it a listen.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

The $100 Dollar MBA Show

Budget-friendly and practical, “The $100 MBA” is a no-fluff small business owner podcast. Omar Zenhom, the host, breaks down complex business concepts into bite-sized, actionable lessons. The best part? Each episode is around 10 minutes long, perfect for those on-the-go moments. It’s like having a business coach in your pocket, offering insights on everything from marketing strategies to time management. A must-listen for those who prefer straight talk over jargon.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Side Hustle School

Got a side hustle or thinking of starting one? “Side Hustle School” is your daily dose of inspiration and advice. Chris Guillebeau, the host and author of “The $100 Startup,” shares stories of regular folks who’ve started successful side hustles. Each episode is short and sweet, focusing on practical tips and creative ideas for making extra income. It’s empowering, especially for those dreaming of turning their passion into profit without quitting their day job.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

The post 31 best small business podcasts to listen to in 2024 appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

One often-overlooked channel for monetizing content is text subscription services where you exchange exclusive content via SMS to paying customers.

It doesn’t require your followers to download or sign up for a third-party app, and they can engage with you in a more personal way than traditional social media channels.

• Nearly everyone has a cell phone (97% of Americans, if we’re being technical), many of which are outfitted with text messaging capabilities.
• Because SMS has an average open rate of 98%, setting up a paid texting subscription service is a surefire way to keep your followers engaged.

Social media strategist Sydney McDonald discovered how lucrative texting can be when she set up her texting subscription service for daily social media trend reports. The service now earns her more than $4,000 every month.

What if you don’t have thousands of followers like Sydney? She said that because it’s a service that you grow from the ground up, you can grow your social media following along with it.

I’ll walk you through the exact process Sydney used to create her texting subscription, plus ideas and tips to get you started.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What is a text subscription service?
• Pick a topic for your text subscription service
• Choose an SMS platform and payment processor
• Set up your autoresponders
• Promote your texting subscription service
• 5 ways to use a text subscription service

Recommended reading: 50+ must-know texting & SMS marketing statistics in 2024

What is a text subscription service?

Text subscription platforms help you collect phone numbers so you may text your audience. SimpleTexting is an example of an SMS provider.

Businesses offer text subscription services to share valuable insights via text messages (delivered through an SMS provider). You may charge subscribers to receive your text messages.

You’ll do four things to start your text message subscription:

1. Choose a topic.
2. Set up your SMS and payment software.
3. Set up autoresponder messages.
4. Promote your new subscription.

1. Pick a topic that aligns with your audience’s needs and interests

What do people ask for your advice or opinion on? What are the top challenges that you can help them overcome? 

Pick a texting subscription topic that you could talk about for hours. The last thing you need is to run out of content ideas when you’ve built up a customer base.

Need a jumping-off point? You could start a texting service for:

• Daily/weekly inspiration
• Personalized coaching and advice
• Access to exclusive content
• A first look at your new products or services
• Industry trends and forecasts
• Meal and workout plans

You can even offer subscription tiers with varying levels of content, so your audience can choose the tier that fits best with their interests and budget.

2. Choose an SMS platform and payment processor.

Next, you’ll need an SMS platform that’s built for sending mass texts and having one-on-one conversations, as well as a payment processor that allows for recurring monthly payments.

Sydney McDonald, who I mentioned earlier, uses SimpleTexting for SMS (try it free for 14 days if you’re curious about how it works) and Stan* for payment processing.

→ Check out my list of the nine best SMS marketing platforms to see how they stack up.

As you’re looking for these two platforms, make sure you can integrate them with each other to save you time. For example, you could integrate SimpleTexting with Stripe to automatically add new customers created in Stripe as contacts in SimpleTexting.

→ Importation note about industry regulations: Even though your contacts are signing up for a texting subscription service, you’ll still need to follow SMS compliance regulations. This will help ensure everyone who receives your messages knows what they’re signing up for and can easily unsubscribe if they change their minds. Our compliance guide has everything you need to know before you send your first text.

3. Set up your autoresponders

Time to welcome new contacts to your texting list! With our Autoresponder feature, you can create a series of automated messages that each contact receives after they pay and are added to your contact list.

Let’s say you’re a personal trainer who wants to start a three-month workout text subscription service. 

First, you’ll need to set up a welcome message to thank your contacts for joining and let them know what to expect.

Then, you can schedule out a series of two text messages per week that include workout instructions and fitness tips. Our autoresponders provide you with the option to send the message immediately or to delay it from the date when the contact joined.

If you’re planning on sending content that can’t be scheduled that far in advance, like trends or new product alerts, you can still automate your messages. 

For instance, Sydney McDonald writes her daily social media trend text messages each night and schedules them for the next morning. That way, her contacts get the trends on time and she doesn’t have to manually send the text.

4. Promote your texting subscription service

Now for the best part — sharing your new text message subscription service with your audience!

Where you promote it depends on where you already engage with your followers, but you can share it in: 

• Social media posts and bios
• Video content
• Email newsletters

You can also ask brand partners or content creators you’ve collaborated with if they’ll share your texting subscription service with their audience.

→ Pro tip: Draw more contacts in by posting a free preview of the kinds of texts they’ll receive when they become a contact.

5 ways to use a text subscription service

There is a lot of value to be gained from an SMS subscriber list if you can convince potential and existing clients to sign up for a text subscription service. With the mobile numbers you’ve gathered from your lead generation activities, you can make SMS marketing messages that really speak to your target audience.

Here are a few examples.

Flash sales and discounts

Provide a service or sell a product? Spread the word to your current and potential customers if you’re having a flash sale or offering a promo code. Customers can be prompted to buy sooner rather than later by using drip campaigns, in which they get a series of communications at regular intervals.

Thanking first-time buyers with a discount is a terrific way to show appreciation, send a powerful message, and increase the likelihood that they will become repeat buyers.

The “LASHFLASH” discount code offered by Benefit Cosmetics is an excellent example of this. It rhymes, it’s catchy, and it has something to do with the discounted mascaras.

Loyalty club offers

Customers today want to be rewarded for their continued patronage, so launching a loyalty program is a smart move. Freebies (or points), a VIP discount, loyalty points, or other incentives might be offered via text message marketing, depending on the nature of your business.

If you fly frequently for work or pleasure, you should definitely sign up for an airline’s reward program. While most airlines provide some sort of rewards program, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan has been recognized for excellence.

Customers may earn miles, take advantage of award travel, and reach the highest level of elite status (MVP) with Alaska’s Mileage Plan more quickly than any other airline.

Alaska Airlines makes it simple and quick for its customers to receive special treatment, such as two free checked bags and preferred seats.

Abandoned cart

Customers may visit your site with great anticipation, load up their shopping carts, and close the page for any reason. Customers may return to complete their purchases if they get a single abandoned cart SMS message within 48 hours. However, they should be used rarely. Limit yourself to a single message per shopping cart or time frame.

Take a cue from Knix and include a feeling of urgency in your abandoned cart message as they did in this SMS. The company reminds the customer that the product they have put in their basket is in high demand and may be sold out when they return to the store. The message is succinct yet clear.

SMS surveys

Direct customer input is vital for brands. Are your clients satisfied with the services you offer? Was their previous interaction with your brand positive? Would they suggest you to a friend?

SMS surveys allow you to ask clients for their honest opinions so you may tweak your approach and ensure you’re meeting their demands. 

Google provides surveys to users following their interactions with your agent to ensure they are happy with their exchanges. You may send surveys inside the context of a discussion if you wish to gather data at a different time, such as at the conclusion of one. Users can respond to surveys that appear in the discussion with a range of alternatives based on the question.

Tracking updates

Each of us has placed an order and then anxiously awaited its arrival, checking shipment status numerous times a day. Customers may be kept up-to-date on shipping status by SMS so they don’t have to go looking for it themselves. Sending these notifications shows your enthusiasm and willingness to keep customers informed while they await the arrival of their purchases.

Create your SMS subscription service today

Starting a paid text subscription service can give you another revenue stream and a new channel where you can interact with your audience. 

All you have to do is to find a topic you’re passionate about, create valuable content, and engage with your contacts. Oh, and choose an SMS marketing tool that makes automating texts and managing contacts ridiculously easy (I’m just going to leave this 14-day free trial here). 

If you have any questions about setting up a texting subscription service, reach out to our team seven days a week by clicking on the blue chat button at the bottom of your screen.

This article was originally published March 16, 2023. It was updated and revised August 30, 2023. Agnee Ghosh and Nathan Ellering contributed to this piece.

The post Text subscription service: How to start one step-by-step [examples] appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.